Since we have become enlightened about the fragile relationship
we have with all other living things, it is of paramount importance that we,
as responsible caretakers of the environment, curtail destructive practices and
mitigate the consequences of past behaviors. If we fail to change our behavior
we will doom ourselves to an existence devoid of the many natural entities that
bring us so much joy.
We are very fortunate here in Henrietta Township to live
in an area with a low population density, many lakes and other recreational
amenities and abundant wildlife. These things we hold so dearly are a
result of the rather limited destruction of the natural environment
that has taken place to date. Unfortunately, the cancerous spread of low
density urban sprawl taking place all around us is taking its toll on
our surroundings. If we do not stop this destruction in very short order,
we will live in a nightmare of little boxes, endless thoroughfares and
bumper to bumper traffic jams. There are elements within our community
and without, who relish the thought of all that development, increased
property values and the profits to be had by Realtors and developers
as well as the hollow dream of every homeowner to sell at a big profit
and move up the ladder toward oblivion. The nightmare left behind
for the profit of the few is the legacy of our failure to cherish
and protect our environment.
We can do something about this looming threat. We need
to enact zoning changes and adopt ordinances which will curtail the splitting
/development of agricultural land, stop the development and destruction of
wetlands and encourage isolated areas of higher density housing and
preserve surrounding natural areas. We realize that any attempt to curtail
development will raise the ire of realtors, petty developers/builders and
particularly, older farmers who see only profit and retirement in Florida
instead of continuing the legacy of caretakers with regard to the land.
These are the enemies of the environment. To fight this battle and protect
what is left, we must band together and press the township to pass
zoning changes and ordinances which control growth and protect what is
left. We also need to explore ways to encourage existing owners to allow
their parcels to become more natural and critter friendly as opposed to
acres of mowed lawn, poisoned by chemicals and devoid of the things that
make life worth living.
If you are interested and feel inclined to join us and help
preserve the rural nature of the township, help stop the destruction of
natural habitats and encourage responsible growth then fill out the
form on the Contact page and we will get back with you as soon as possible.
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